Abu Qilabah said, “Do not sit with the people of deviant passions—or, as he also said, the contentious disputants—for I cannot be sure they will not plunge you into their error or confuse you about some of what you already know.”

Two men from the sectarian camp once entered upon Muhammad ibn Sirin and said, “Abu Bakr, may we relate a hadith to you?” He replied, “No.” They said, “Then let us recite a single verse to you.” He answered, “No; either you both get up and leave, or I will stand and walk away.” So they rose and left.

Some of those present asked, “Abu Bakr, what harm is there if a verse is recited to you?” He said (1): ….. and added, “I feared they might recite a verse, alter it, and that alteration would settle in my heart.”

A man from among the innovators said to Ayyub, “Abu Bakr, may I ask you about a single word?” He turned away, waving his hand, and said, “No—not even half a word.”

Ibn Tawus said to one of his sons when a man of innovation began addressing him, “My son, put your fingers in your ears so you do not hear what he says.” Then he said, “Press them in—press them in!”

ʿUmar ibn ʿAbd al-ʿAziz said, “Whoever makes his religion (2) a target for disputes will end up flitting constantly from one position to another.”

Ibrahim al-Nakhaʿi said, “Nothing has been withheld from those earlier people; whatever virtue you imagine has been kept in reserve for you was not denied to them.”

Al-Hasan used to say, “The worst disease ever to mingle with a heart—meaning the deviant passions.”

Hudhayfah said, “Fear Allah and follow the path of those who came before you. By Allah, if you remain upright you will have outstripped them by a great distance; but if you turn aside to the right or to the left, you will surely go astray …”